Washington Nationals News: Can Dusty Baker help Nats fix problems of 2015?
By Pablo Roa
Today’s District Daily features stories on Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker and Stephen Strasburg‘s potential free agent value.
Good evening DoD readers and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, ESPN’s Eddie Matz discusses whether or not new Nationals manager Dusty Baker can help the team overcome some of the clubhouse issues that plagued it in 2015.
As Matz writes in his article, the Nationals were one of the biggest disappointments in baseball last season. And while injuries certainly played a major role in the team’s demise, the Nationals were also hurt by chemistry issues on and off the field.
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The biggest (or, at least, the most public) issue that faced the Nationals last season was when Jonathan Papelbon choked Bryce Harper in an embarrassing dugout scuffle towards the end of the season. The team took a major step in the right direction by firing Matt Williams earlier this offseason, but it remains to be seen if Baker can help the Nationals turn things around in 2016 — both on and off the field.
Of course, Baker has done it before. And considering that he’s the most experienced manager in baseball, there’s no doubt that he has what it takes to control several big egos on the roster. Hopefully for the Nationals, Baker’s experience and the additions the team made this offseason will be enough to help the team turn things around in 2016.
Also in today’s Daily, the Washington Post’s Neil Greenberg discusses what Stephen Strasburg might be worth if and when he hits free agency next offseason.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Will new skipper Dusty Baker let the Nationals, um, choke again in 2016?
On paper, the Washington Nationals were the team to beat in the National League heading into last season. But baseball isn’t played on paper. Instead, it’s played on the diamond, where the Nats were the most disappointing team in the major leagues.
There’s no denying that a rash of injuries to key contributors (Denard Span, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth) played a major role, but the ghastly gestalt in the clubhouse certainly didn’t help things. Gone is Matt Williams, who was named 2014 Manager of the Year as a rookie only to be fired less than a year later. Three-time MOY Dusty Baker replaces Williams, and while the 66-year-old skipper is a noted clubhouse chemist who’s known for conjuring positive vibes to help turn traumatized teams around, the 2016 Nationals could be his toughest test yet. Read full article here.
Stephen Strasburg is planning to test free agency. Here’s what he’s worth.
(Neil Greenberg, Washington Post)
Stephen Strasburg got mixed reviews for his performance last season. The former No. 1 overall pick compiled an 11-7 record for the Washington Nationals, striking out 155 batters over 127.1 innings, his fewest since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2011.
That down year, however, won’t stop him and his agent, Scott Boras, from testing free agency at the end of the 2016 season.
“We amicably agreed to a one-year deal [for 2016],” Boras told to FOX Sports on Monday. “He’s going to pitch, and we’ll see where it goes from there. It’s something we’ll be discussing at the end of the year.” Read full article here.